青葉城西のバレーボールのチーム
Aoba Johsai's Volleyball Team
-x-
I pouted to myself as I stared at my silent phone. It's been a day and he still hasn't messaged. Yui said he might be busy, and I get it. Maybe I shouldn't have hoped that he will message me. It's Kageyama Tobio, of course, he has nothing in his mind but volleyball. Just like someone I know.
"岩ちゃん！(Iwa-chan!)" his voice echoed in the gym. I'm only present in their gym practices when Oikawa and I have a family thing to go to together after school. And today, we'll be having dinner together. Iwaizumi's coming too. At first, Mom didn't like it when Iwaizumi tags along because I won't get any alone time with Oikawa, until she noticed that Iwaizumi sees the potential between me and Oikawa as well.
Which I highly disagree with.
But Iwaizumi is a friend. I don't mind what he thinks, as long as he doesn't push us like how our parents do.
"痛い！(Ouch!)" I exclaimed. There was an excruciating pain at the side of my head. My sight glitched for a second before I looked up to check what happened.
I found Oikawa, with his hand resting on his hips, looking at me with an evil smirk. "あー、御免 (Oops, sorry)," he teased. I simply rolled my eyes. He's diverting my attention away from my phone. Ever since he found out, from his own source, that Kageyama Tobio and I exchanged emails, he's been, like this.
The whistle blew and the players scattered. Oikawa and Iwaizumi were, as usual, together. Seriously, why can't it be them instead. That'll be a lot better.
"内山さん (Uchiyama-san.)" I turned to the direction of the voice. It was Yahama. "大丈夫か？(Are you okay?)" He probably saw Oikawa accidentally hitting my head. If that was an accident. I know he can control the power he puts in to hit the ball, and he definitely didn't hit it hard enough for it to be an accident. He hit it just right to get my attention. But it was still painful, idiot Oikawa!
"大丈夫です(I'm okay.)"
"此処で待たせるの何故だ？(Why does he make you wait here?)" Hanamaki commented, drinking his water afterwards. "まだガキか？(Is he still a kid?)"
"聞こえたぞ、マッキ！(I heard that Makki!)" Oikawa's being cute again. He doesn't try to be cute. He has this mode switch. The way he switches from serious to playful and vice versa is so sudden, and so instant. It's almost creepy. I can't understand why he has practically split personalities, but I'm gonna let my brain relax and assume that it's just his nature.
Kindaichi approached me in a formal stance, just like the way he is with Oikawa. He looks up to Oikawa, and the whole team, including myself, has no idea why. Why. Why is Oikawa considered cool? He's a dork!
"内山さん (Uchiyama san)," he called. "アイスパック必要か？(Do you need an ice pack?)" His tone was hiding his worry, but I can clearly tell that he is.
I opened my mouth to reply, but before any sound could come out of it, my head was hit with something cold. It landed on my palms. As I looked down on it, the coldness was getting worse and I couldn't just hold it still. It was a yellow ice pack in the shape of a duck. I smiled at myself and looked up at Iwaizumi. "ありがとう、岩さん (Thanks, Iwa-san.)"
"岩ちゃん！どうしてアイスパックをあげた？(Iwa-chan! Why did you give her an ice pack?)" Oikawa grumpily said.
Matsukawa hung his arm around Oikawa, with a teasing smile on his lips. He lifted his hand and squished Oikawa's cheeks hard. "岩泉は紳士だ、お前と違って (Iwaizumi is a gentleman, unlike you.)"
Kindaichi looked at them worried. "逆だじゃない？(Isn't it the other way around?)"
Unlike all of them, I clearly know, that neither of them are! Iwaizumi simply wanted to beat Oikawa to the chase by giving me an ice pack first. Oikawa and Iwaizumi are both messed up in the head. That's why they get along so much.
Kyotani appeared near the circle and was staring at Iwaizumi with.. admiration, I think. He was kind of scanning Iwaizumi. I'm not sure if he's criticizing him, or planning to copy him.
Speaking of the team, Kunimi was nowhere to be found, and Watari was just told to look for him. Their two coaches were at the side, discussing something. The rest, were at my area.
Aoba Johsai's volleyball team is full of dorks, which is why I love them so much. I don't know about other volleyball teams, but they're my favorite. They work hard, their captain brings out the best of each member, and they're not toxic towards each other.
It's upsetting whenever the thought of them losing to Shiratorizawa crosses my mind. The team is always feeling so down, but they can get back up because of each other. There's no one member who encourages the whole team, it's all the members, encouraging one another to get up again.
However, I can't stand remembering it.
—
"くそ！(Damn it!)" He made a dent on the locker.
"及川さん！(Oikawa-san!)" I rushed to his side.
He turned his back on the lockers and slid down to the floor. I could still hear his held back sobs. The rest of the team went back to the school first. Oikawa stayed, and I did too. I can't leave him like this.
I held his bleeding hand and started to treat it.
"うしわか... (Ushiwaka..)" he grunted. I predicted that he would say that they'll definitely win, but nothing came afterwards but another sob that implied his surrender. "くそ！(Damn it!)" he cussed again.
—
I can't handle seeing him like that.
Oikawa is one of the reasons I got close to Shirabu Kenjiro. The rest of the team probably doesn't know yet, but ever since Shirabu became Shiratorizawa's setter, I've gotten quite close to him.
At first, his looks caught my attention, then I found out he could be of help to me, knowing more about Shiratorizawa's strategic play, but in the end, I just like him. He's a good friend.
—
"本当に御免なさい(I'm very sorry.)" I bowed my upper body. I couldn't see Shirabu's facial expression then, but I could feel himself restraining his own anger. It's a natural reaction, after finding out that I befriended him just to find ways to beat Shiratorizawa. After developing a genuine bond with him, I felt so guilty, I decided to tell him the truth.
Distracted by my own tears, I was caught by surprise when I felt Shirabu's arm on my back. He pulled me into a one-hand embrace, before his hand climbed up to my head while his elbow kept my body pushed close to his.
"謝らない (Don't apologize)," his voice was shaking. "君が俺の夕暉だ。泣くないで、もう許した (You're still my Sekki. Don't cry, I forgive you already.)" The last sentence he said was soft. Shirabu pulled me closer before dropping his head on my shoulder as he repeated, "許した (I forgive you.)"
—
Shirabu Kenjiro. He didn't deserve to be deceived by someone like me. And I don't deserve to be forgiven by him. Despite what happened, we're still as close as before. But it was trouble when Oikawa found out.
—
"彼と一緒何故だ？！(Why are you with him?!)" he raised his voice. His chest went up and down really fast. When he noticed the volume of his voice, he started to breathe slower.
"俺たちは友達だって！辞めなさい！(We are friends, okay! Stop it!)"
"彼は白鳥沢のセッターだ！(He's Shiratorizawa's setter!)"
"だから何だ？！(So what?!)"
Oikawa's eyes widened. He paused for a second of epiphany, but was distracted by his anger once again.
That day went on with our bickering. Our parents were worried because, apparently, our argument could be heard from the living room. And we were in his room which was on the second floor. Oikawa insisted I stop being friends with Shirabu. I ignored him for a week because of it. Eventually, he lowered his pride and let me be, and it all became part of the past.
—
Tomorrow I'm meeting up with Shirabu. Oikawa knows. He became cold to me when I asked permission from him, but like always, it faded away and we're back to normal.
While the team was dorking around, my phone beeped. My heart raced thinking it was Kageyama Tobio. I glanced at the LED display on the cover and found Shirabu's name on it. At that point, I was disappointed. Kageyama Tobio really doesn't plan on messaging me at all. Nonetheless, I opened my phone and found two emails, one from an unknown contact.
— ① —
白布賢二郎
晩御飯もう食べた？
Shirabu Kenjiro
Have you eaten dinner?
— ② —
Unknown
影山だ。お元気？
Unknown
It's Kageyama. How are you?
————
Uh. I guess. My heart did skip a beat!